The state of the art found to be pertinent to the object of the present invention discloses different solutions for sterilizing food and/or utensils.
German Patent DE 10 2009 016 821 discloses a device (1) for electrically treating foods (2), at least comprising a liquid tank (3), which can accommodate a cleaning liquid (4), a direct-current supply (5), two electrodes (9a, 9b), and a liquid drain (6), by means of which the exiting cleaning liquid (4) can be conducted directly to the food (2) to be treated and/or can be temporarily stored in a buffer tank. Said patent document also discloses that food (2) to be treated is in direct electrical contact with the cleaning liquid (4). The fact that DE 10 2009 016 821 provides the conveyance of the cleaning liquid (4) directly to the food (2) or its temporary storage in a buffer tank for the subsequent immersion of food (2) to be treated, limits its application to larger volume conditions of the element to be treated, and the actual amount of the element under consideration. Furthermore, said power supplying is of direct current type, which requires the use of specific electric power sources.
The Brazilian utility model patent application No. MU8700282-5 discloses a device for the generation of active chlorine in the presence of an organic load of sodium chloride in water, wherein a recirculation system for electrochemically activated solutions returns antimicrobial solution which has been depleted of active antimicrobial species to an electrolytic cell (10) for regeneration of the active species. According to the Inventor, the concentration of active species is maintained at a level at which an efficient sterilization is achieved by means of the recirculation of the antimicrobial agent by using the electrolytic cell for regeneration of the active species, However, said patent document MU8700282-5 uses a solution of sodium chloride as its electrolyte. Consequently, this can, for instance, affect the flavour of food to be treated and even promote or accelerate oxidation processes on ferrous metal utensils.
International patent WO 9908719 discloses a sterilization apparatus utilizing catholyte and anolyte solutions, wherein an apparatus (A) for sterilizing medical instruments and other articles includes a tray (12) with an article receiving area (14). An article to be microbially decontaminated is positioned in the receiving area (14) and a microbe blocking lid (10) is closed. A water electrolysis apparatus (30) receives water, splits the water into two separate streams that pass respectively through an anode chamber (34) and a cathode chamber (36), and exposes the streams to an electric field that results in the production of a catholyte solution for cleaning and an anolyte solution for sterilization. The anolyte and catholyte are selectively circulated through the article receiving area (14) by a pump (66) to clean and microbially decontaminate the external surfaces and internal passages of an article located therein. The anolyte or deactivated anolyte provides a sterile rinse solution Although said apparatus of WO 9908719 is extremely precise and efficient—even promoting the formation of a rinsing solution—it requires distinct anolyte and catholyte solutions, in addition to a pumping system and pipelines that are extremely complex for fast everyday use on a small scale. Thus, being costly from the viewpoint of less frequent or smaller scale uses.
The Chinese utility model patent No. CN2087077 discloses um sterilizing device, which is characterized in that it is composed of a transformer, a rectifier, a reactor and a shell. When a mains supply is connected, the transformer changes voltages and makes full-bridge rectifying. Alternating current is converted into direct current. Direct current is sent to the reactor which has sodium chloride solution. Tableware is immersed into the solution and reacts directly for sterilization. Even though the device in CN2087077 is compact, it still features drawbacks deriving from the necessity for rectifying alternating current to obtain a direct current and from the use of a solution of sodium chloride as electrolyte. As discussed above and as already known to those skilled in the art, it can promote or accelerate oxidation processes on ferrous metal utensils.
As can be inferred from the description of the prior art, the need exists for an improved electrolysis device having the following features:
a) It is compact and suitable for use in small scale;
b) It is of easy and safe handling, considering people without specific training;
c) Its manufacturing costs are low;
d) It eliminates the need for specific electrolyte solution;
e) It can be used with conventional treated water or with mineral water as an electrolyte;
f) The temperature of said water to be used as an electrolyte may be (or range) from 4° C. to 120° C.;
g) It promotes sterilization using low amperage electrical treatment (LAET), with no damage or denaturation of proteins in food; and
h) It promotes sterilization using low amperage electrical treatment (LAET), without promoting or accelerating oxidation processes on ferrous metal utensils.